First Time ni Nathan

May 26, 2019 -- First time sumamang mag-grocery again. After more than two months of just staying at home and in the car, he was able to step foot on Walmart again. I couldn't forget his face -- he was in awe!

In pambahay outfit =)

The past weeks, talagang hindi namin siya sinasama sa kahit anong bilihan. Hindi naman naglockdown dito sa BC at hindi naman talaga ipinagbawal isama ang bata (though may time lang din na ginusto ng ilang stores na one adult person per family lang ang mamimili) pero syempre for our safety, ako lang talaga ang naging grocery/store frontliner ng aming small family. Naiiwan lang sila ng Daddy niya sa car at matiyagang naga-antay sa akin.

But since medyo nag-ease na ng restrictions dito dahil flattened na ang curve (in fact, back to school na rin ang mga bata this June), sige sinama na rin namin siya sa loob para malibang naman. Tutal wala rin naman talagang gaanong tao kasi it was a Monday night.

Ahhh.... toys!

 Nakakamiss din silang kasama sa loob ng supermarket sa totoo lang!

May 30, 2020 -- First time mag-facemask. We went to T&T Lansdowne para maghanap ng Chinese food dahil nagke-crave ako. 

But unlike in western groceries and supermarkets, medyo mahigpit ang Asian stores dito at talagang nagre-require sila ng masks (and sometimes thermal scan) upon entering.

No choice sila but to wear masks. First time ko lang din makita ang asawa ko na nakasuot, ayaw nya kasi talaga.

At 5 1/2 years old, he already knows a lot about corona virus. Nakakamangha ang mga bata, ang dali nilang maka-grasp ng sitwasyon. Kapag hindi kami nagmamask, siya pa ang "nagagalit" at nagreremind sa amin to wear one.

Nahihirapan daw siyang huminga but he never attempted to remove the mask. Ang galing! Great job, Nathan! 

I bought chocolates in the US

People think na katulad ng America, chocolate-heaven din ang Canada. I beg to disagree. In my almost 5 years of living here, feeling ko nga na-deprive ako ng chocolates na gusto ko. Ang konti ng variety sa totoo lang. Sabi ko nga bakit parang mas marami pang tinda sa Pinas?

To compare, ito ang chocolates aisle sa Walmart USA. Pasensya na kung medyo nakakahilo ang kuha ko.

Ito naman ang sa Walmart Canada.

Sobrang konti lang noh? Actually mas may variety sa Superstore (a Canadian grocery store dito na direct competition ng Walmart) pero no match pa rin sa mga chocolates sa US.

Sa totoo lang, napakasimple lang naman ng taste ko sa chocolates. Very basic lang, ayaw ko ng mga gourmet-type kasi tingnan ko pa lang eh natatamisan ako. Tatlo lang ang favorite ko talagang "imported" chocolates sa mundo, pero would you believe na wala sila sa Canada?

I truly find it weird na wala nitong Hershey's Milk Chocolate dito. Ang meron lang ay ung creamy milk chocolates with almonds.

Itong Kisses Milk Chocolate with Almonds ang super tagal ko ng kine-crave kaya I was so happy nang makakita ako ng malalaking packs. Walang ganung kalalaking packs sa dito eh.  Minsan pala may sumusulpot nyan dito sa Canada (last Christmas nakabili ako) pero on an ordinary day, wala talaga sa grocery shelves.

Ito pa! Made in USA lang naman ito pero bakit hindi pa nakaabot sa Canada? Dati nakakabili pa ako nito sa Dollar Tree eh, pero matagal ng wala. Minsan nakakita rin ako nito sa Daiso pero $3+ ang isa (small bar lang yun ha) kaya dedma na lang.

Aside from chocolates, itong Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream ang isa pang nabigo akong makita sa Canada. Favorite ko kasi ito.  Grabe, sa SM Hypermarket ay pakalat-kalat lang ito.

Oh well, blessing in disguise na rin siguro na wala nung mga gusto kong chocolates dito kasi nga haler... diabetic! Saka pasalamat na rin na we live near the border, we can cross anytime. Kapag nakalipat na kami sa bagong bahay namin, we'd probably do grocery shopping in Walmart and Target every month, para maiba naman sa panlasa namin.

Cross Border Purchases and Expenses

Dati when we cross the border, kasama sa itinerary ang Seattle Premium Outlet. But this time, dahil mataas nga ang palitan ng US dollars, mas ok pang magshopping sa Canada so we limited our purchases na lang sa mga pagkain na wala sa amin.

SEAFOOD CITY.  Ang pinaka-target namin on this trip was to buy Purefoods hotdogs para na rin may mapampasalubong kami sa mga kaibigan namin sa Edmonton this August. We only bought 20 packs kasi takot si Ford na ma-question sa border. Saka mahal din kasi at USD4.29 per pack (or CAD5.79 / Php229.26).

Aside from that, we also bought longganisa (na palagi rin naming binibili sa Seafood City), two different brands of lumpiang shanghai, turkey bacon (para maiba lang sa kinakain namin), Lucky Me Sotanghon Cup (na wala kaming mahanap sa Canada as of the moment), gilit na bangus (walang ganun sa Canada eh, yung ready to cook na), and Vcut (kasi sale). Bumili rin kami ng ice para sa cooler.

All in all, we spent USD 166.47 (or CAD 224.73 / Php8,896.16) sa mga ito. Grabe, ang mahal din noh?

RED RIBBON BAKESHOP. Parang katulad ng previous cross border trip namin, ito lang din ang binili ko -- Cheesy Ensaimada Family Pack and one moist choco slice. USD14.88 (o CAD 20.09 / Php795.19) na yan ha. Pero kebs na, ang sarap naman kasi ng ensaimada. Wala pa akong nahahanap na bakery sa Canada na may masarap na ensaimada eh.

Ay nagpadagdag pa pala si hubby ng chicken empanada na worth USD2.96 (CAD4.00 / Php158.18). Hindi daw ito masarap.

VALERIO'S TROPICAL BAKESHOP. May isa pang Pinoy bakery sa may Seafood City at talagang natakam ako sa ensaymada nila na nakadisplay sa glass cabinet. Last 2 pieces na lang tapos naunahan pa ako. Buti na lang may pack-of-6 pa sila na natira. Medyo nagdalawang-isip pa ako kung bibilin ko kasi nga namamahalan ako. Imagine, Php62.35 pumapatak ang isang ensaymada! Eh sa Pinas limang piso lang yan. Sa Pan de Manila, mahigit-higit bente pesos. Pero sabi nga ng asawa ko, kung convert ako ng convert eh malamang hindi talaga ako makakakain. O sige na nga, buy! Nakakita rin ako ng whole wheat pandesal kaya sakto, nagke-crave din ako dun eh.

We spent USD10.68 (CAD 14.42 / Php570.74) sa Valerio's.

WALMART. Before going home, syempre daan muna sa Walmart. Agenda rin talaga namin na bumili ng chocolates at iba pang pwedeng mabiling kutkutin dun.

So eto, nakabili kami ng Hershey's Milk Chocolates, Kisses Classic with Almonds, Nestle Crunch, diet popcon (ng asawa ko), Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream at beef jerky. May nabili rin nga pala akong $1 na pitchel lol. Binili ko lang kasi sale sa Flamingo haha. At tapos yung toy ni Nathan na tools work bench.

USD51.24 (CAD69.17 / Php2,782.27) ang binayaran namin sa Walmart.

Apart from those purchases, eto pa yung ibang ginastos namin to give you an idea kung bakit hesitant akong pumunta sa Washington talaga.

• US Border fees -- USD6.00 / CAD8.10 / Php320.64

• Jollibee lunch -- USD26.50 / CAS35.78 / Php1,416.00

• Nathan's amusement rides -- USD3.00 / CAD4.05 / Php160.32

• Nathan's McDonald's Happy Meal -- USD3.92 / CAD5.30 / Php209.48

• Gas -- USD36.10 / CAD48.74 / Php1,929.18

Sa kabuuan, we spent USD321.75 (CAD434.36 / Php23,212.33). Ang laki rin pala nakakaloka! And to think puro pagkain lang halos yun ha! Buti na lang we used our US dollars kaya parang 'dead money' lang namin yun, pero syempre pera pa rin namin yun di ba.

Nakow, mukhang next time na ayain ako ng asawa ko na magcross border eh di na ako papayag. Kaso matatanggihan ko ba ang ensaimada at hotdog?

Cross Border -- July 21, 2018

And so, natuloy din kaming mag-crossborder last weekend. After kong magpatumpik-tumpik, I finally gave in. Hindi ko na-resist ang temptasyon ng Purefoods hotdogs haha. Saka tutal kako I passed naman the citizenship test last July 18 kaya may excuse na na mag-splurge ng konti. We are also going to Edmonton to visit our friends kaya kailangan namin ng hotdogs pamapasalubong.

Pero dahil nga mataas ang value ng US dollars, we decided to use na lang yung remaining USD namin. Naghagilap ako talaga haha! Medyo marami-rami pa naman, pwede pang gamitin ng ilang balik hehe.

July 21, 2018 (Saturday). We left our place at around 12:45pm. Late na kasi late na kaming gumising eh. Hindi naman din kami nagmamadali. We prefer to cross the border ng alanganing oras para hindi mahaba ang pila.

Upon checking online, around 30 minutes ang waiting time sa Peace Arch at Pacific Crossings kaya dun kami sa Aldergrove as usual. Mas malayo iyon pero kesa nakapila ka sa mga "famous" borders na yun ng at least 30 minutes, idrive mo na lang yung oras na yun going to Aldergrove kung saan wala halos pila.

Whenever the Border Officer asks us kung saan o ano ang gagawin namin sa US, we would answer na that we are going to Jollibee. Gets na nila yun haha. Tatawa na sila at magjo-joke.

At dahil wala akong valid I-94, we had to stop briefly in their immigration office. Walang ibang tao dun, kami lang, kaya sobrang bilis. Kinunan ako ng finger prints at photo. Ang sabi ng Immigration Officer, I lost weight daw haha. He must have seen the difference ng current picture ko sa mga nakaraan.

I paid USD6.00 again for my 6-month I-94 validity. Hmmp, di bale na nga. This will be the last time na magbabayad ako niyan because in less than 6 months, siguro naman may blue passport na rin ako.

From Aldergrove Crossing, Westfield Southcenter Mall (where the Seafood City and Jollibee are located) is around 2 1/2-hour drive pa. Nakakainip kasi takam na takam na nga kami sa Chickenjoy.

We arrived at Jollibee ng 4pm and I wasn't expecting a long line kasi nga alanganing oras. Oh well, Sabado nga kasi siguro kaya never napatid ang linya.

We missed you, Jollibee! Noong nasa Pinas kami, araw-araw akong nagmo-motor sa Jollibee (na malapit lang samin) para bumili ng hapunan ni TanTan.

The queue was long pero mas ok na rin kasi makukuha mo na agad ang food mo after you pay. Unlike before na pipila at magbabayad ka tapos bibigyan ka nung parang alarm na iilaw kapag ready na ang order mo. Ang tagal tagal mag-antay. 

Wow, chickenjoy! We paid USD26.50 (or CAD35.78 / Php1,416.16) for these. We wanted to add pa sana spaghetti and burger after kaso pipila na naman ng mga 35-40 minutes.

One Pinoy guy handed this toy to me, baka raw gusto ng bata. Syempre I happily accepted kahit na meron na kami niyan sa Pinas.

Bakit niya binigay sa amin yung toy? Kasi "free" lang yan. Would you believe na parehas lang ang presyo kapag umorder ka ng spaghetti with drinks at kiddie meal na spaghetti with drinks? Tila USD5.99 yata. I learned about it in California kaya sabi ko sa sarili ko na kapag gusto ko ng spaghetti eh yung kiddie meal na ang oorderin ko kahit ayaw ko ng toy.

 After eating, lakad-lakad muna sa mall syempre. Ang tagal kong naghanap ng dresses sa JCPenney at Macy's kaso bigo ako. Kailangan ko kasi ng mga damit for a wedding na aattendan namin sa August at sa forthcoming oathtaking ko (naks!).

Then we went na to Seafood City to buy hotdogs and other pang-ulam. I'll show you what we bought there in another post.

Before leaving, we bought some ensaimadas din from Red Ribbon and Valerio's Bakery. Nakaalis kami ng 7:30pm na.

Off to our next destination -- Walmart! Oo, dinayo pa namin talaga ang Walmart. Ang saya-saya kasi ng mga Walmarts sa US, ang dami-daming paninda. Ibang-iba sa mga Canadian stores.

May batang nabuhayan ng dugo haha. Ang cute nitong nakita naming work tools na trolley kaya binili na rin namin. Walang ganito sa Canada eh.

Ay syempre nagutom ang bagets kaya nagpabili ng Happy Meal. Buti na lang nakaabot pa kami sa Incredibles toy. We got Dash yipeee! (Iba ang toys sa Canada at sa US booo!).

So yun, bago umuwi, pakarga ng gas as usual. Ang laki ng kamurahan ng gas sa US kesa Canada kaya talagang doon nagfu-full tank ang mga Canadians.

Medyo mahaba pa rin ang pila sa Pacific Crossing pauwi. Pero ayos lang kasi ang bait ng border officer na babae. Ni hindi kami tinanong kung ano ang pinamili namin haha. Usually kasi tinatanong nila kung bumili ng liquor o cigarettes eh. Kapag grocery items naman o other goods na hindi naman malaki ang halaga, di naman na nila pinata-taxan.

Anyway, it always feels good to be back in Canada kahit na a few hours lang kaming lumabas. Canada is really our home.

Twelve midnight na nang makarating kami sa bahay. Hindi na nga pala kami nagdinner sa labas, yung mga tinapay na binili na lang namin ang kinain namin.

Best Black Friday Deal

Nathan and I are going 'home' in the Philippines this January and I was searching for a perfect gift for my nephew who I haven't seen (except in FB and IG) in more than five years. He'll turn 7 na in April 2018. I know that he's into toy cars / trucks but I still asked his mom if there's any particular toy that he likes. Wala naman daw, basta any toy vehicle will make the little boy happy.

To be honest, mahirap hanapan ng gift ang batang yun because he seem to have everything na naman. Maraming nagi-spoil sa kanya. Kaya challenge talaga na makahanap ng something na mapapa-wow siya.

Anyway, we were at Walmart last Monday (November 20) and I saw this Mack's Mobile Tool Center toy. It's actually big and heavy pero kasya sa balikbayan box. Hmmm, pwede. Bagong labas lang ito kasi noon ko lang nakita. And believe me, kabisado ko lahat ng toys sa Walmart at Toys R Us kasi lagi kaming nandun.

The price was $79.97 (+ 9.59 tax = $89.57 / Php3,600.00 - final price) and it was ok. Mura pa rin kumpara sa mga toys sa Pinas.

We were at Walmart again yesterday and I showed it to Ford. He gave me the go signal to buy it. Sabi ko later na lang, tutal sa January pa naman kami uuwi. Saka baka may makita pa akong iba. Marami kasing new toy releases ngayon kasi nga magpapasko. Pero convinced na rin talaga ako na this is what I want to get for my nephew.

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But just tonight, we proceeded to Walmart again after a little black Friday shopping at Guildford Town Centre to buy a blanket for Nathan. Yeah, we are obviously Walmart people, we buy everything we need from Walmart lol.

As expected, the little boy geared us toward the toys section. Bumungad sa akin ito and I couldn't believe it at first. Kaloka, $39.97 na lang siya?!?! Bale $44.77 / Php1,800.00 with tax.

Grabe ang saya ko haha! Imagine saving 50% of what I already conditioned myself to shed off for the toy! Ok talaga dito pag nag-sale haha!

We instantly grabbed one and put it in our cart. Nagcontemplate pa nga ako kung bibilhan ko rin si Nathan, kasi nga sobrang mura na (it looks nicer and pricier in actual ha). But Nathan showed no interest on it eh. And when I told him that he will give it to Kuya Luc as a gift, he excitedly said yes. Walang inggit o question man lang kung bakit wala siya (he's a good boy and inasmuch as he loves receiving gifts, sanay din siyang magbigay kasi talagang tinuturan namin).

Ayan, problem solved na! I got what I wanted at a very reasonable price. Yung natipid ko, I might use na lang in buying other toys/clothes for Kuya Luc kasi nga ang dami-dami naming utang sa kanya. Or pwede kong ibigay ng cash kapag nagkita kami so he could buy what he wants pa.

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If there's one thing we learned about toy-buying here in Canada, it's TO WAIT. Tiyak kasi na magse-sale, lalo na yung mga mahal.

A bitter confession of a mom

I have a confession to make. I am a stay-at-home mom but I am not a good one.

First, let me lay down a context. I am turning 38 next month. In all the years before I had my son, I've never taken care of a child. I am the youngest in the brood of two. I didn't grow up with my younger cousins. Puro adults ang nakasalamuha ko sa buhay ko.

I am also not fond of kids (hanggang ngayon, admittedly). Sure, there are kids that I like/d, pero hanggang ganun lang yun. I thought motherhood would change me, hindi pala. Nagka-soft spot naman ako kahit papano sa mga bata, pero hindi ko pa rin masasabi na "mahilig na ako sa bata." Wala nga raw akong pasensya sabi ni tita ko.

I love Nathan, that is why I am enduring this kind of life (i.e. being a stay-at-home mom) because of him. Honestly, if I have a choice, I would like to continue working. In my more than three years of living here in Canada, I realized na hindi ako talaga domesticated. At this point, iniisip ko na lang na hindi naman permanente ang sitwasyon ko. When my son is older, I can work again.

But as of the moment, I feel that I am a failure as a stay-at-home mom kasi hindi ko natuturuan talaga nang maayos ang anak ko. Sure, I feed him, change his nappies, buy him toys, play with him (a bit)... but that's it. Kulang ako sa effort na turuan siyang humawak ng pencil, mag-color, magmemorize ng alphabet and numbers, etc. And to think naging teacher pa ako dati ha (sa college nga lang).

My son is a very smart boy (I can really say that objectively). Early on, I noticed that he was very self -sufficient. He learned colors, letters, and numbers by himself. Sa kakapanood ng youtube lang. Ang dali nyang pumick-up, ang galing nyang mag-recognize at mag-memorize. Kaya yumabang ako. Naisip ko na kaya niya na yun. Konting chika chika lang with him, ayos na.

Lagi ko rin kasing naiisip that both his dad and I were good in school. So kanino pa ba siya magmamana? I don't remember being pushed hard to study. Sariling sikap lang din ako noon. I see myself in Nathan so confident ako that he'll be ok. Naniniwala rin kasi kami ng asawa ko na "kung matalino ang bata, matalino talaga kahit anong mangyari."

But the other day, when Nathan and I were 'practicing' some letters (mahilig siyang magtuturo ng letters kapag nakakakita siya), I noticed na marami-rami siyang na-miss. I was disappointed, not to him but to myself. Bakit ganun? Halos memorized na niya ang alphabet dati pa, nasa Pinas pa kami. How come hindi na niya alam ngayon yung iba? Kahit sa colors, palagi niyang naiinterchange ang black and brown samantalang alam na alam na niya yun matagal na.

I knew my mother would scold me for this. Siya kasi ang very patient noon na makipaglaro at makipagturuan kay Nathan. Oh, what have I done (or haven't done)?

Since we came back here in Canada (from our 5 1/2 months stay in the Philippines), I dwell on my misery so much that I forgot to 'really' take care of my little boy. The boy who loves and adores me and whose world revolves around me. Ang selfish ko. Puro sarili kong frustrations ang iniisip ko, napabayaan ko talaga ang anak ko. Ang tamad tamad kong makipaglaro sa kanya, siguro kasi nga we are together 24/7. I took him for granted.

My son is already 2 years and 8 months. Ang bilis niyang lumaki. Gusto kong bumawi. From now on, I will make his childhood extra special. I will become a fun mom. Sasamantalahin ko ang time na ito na magkasama kami all the time.

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I had a bad dream yesterday. My mother died in my dream. I knew that I shouldn't take dreams literally so I googled for an interpretation.

I found this:

"To dream about the death of a loved one suggests that you are lacking a certain aspect or quality that the loved one embodies."

This is probably true. My mother is very caring and nurturing. Ang layo ko sa pagiging nanay niya. Wake up call na nga ito siguro para magbago ako. Grade 6 lang ang natapos ng nanay ko, so I grew up resenting the fact that she couldn't teach me (or talk to me in) English or Algebra. Pero nang makita ko kung paano niya turuan ng ABC ang anak ko, alam kong ganun din ang ginawa niya sa akin noong bata pa ako. Kaya pala ang ganda ng foundation ko. Kaya pala magaling ako sa school. I am so ashamed of myself. Cum Laude graduate pa naman ako sa UP. 

Nay, sorry po. I will become a better mother to your grandson. Pangako po. 

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We've been buying a lot of toys for Nathan lately, pero kulang na kulang siya sa educational materials. Kaya inaya ko kaagad si husband sa mall after his work para masimulan ko na ang project ko. My plan is to allot one-hour a day for Nathan to "study." 

Here's what I bought at Dollarama and Walmart:

Dollarama

Crayons = 1.50
Oblong container = 1.25
Paw Patrol Play Pack = 1.50
Flash Cards = 1.50
Sketch Pad = 1.50
Coloring Book = 1.50
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TOTAL = 8.75 + 12% tax = 9.80


Walmart

Pencils = 0.97
Markers = 1.70 (discounted)
Coloring book = 2.97
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TOTAL = 5.64 + 12% tax = 6.32


Whew, I spent a grand total of CAD16.12 for all of these. Kailangang masulit.

Nathan's Crib

I have yet to write a long post about my birthing story, but I still do not have the time and energy for a long post. I'll blog about it in the next days.

Anyway, I just want to show you our Nathan's crib. We have an extra room in the house but we did not put up a nursery. Our baby will be sleeping with us in our bedroom (of course) so he just have a "corner" instead of a whole nursery hehe.

We actually bought two cribs. One is this white wooden crib that can serve as our boy's bed na rin later (until he's about three years old) and the other is a Graco playpen that we placed in our living room (I'll show it to you later). Both were bought at Walmart.

I am happy to have found a colorful animal-printed bedding set in Walmart as well. I am not fond of "all blue" for the little boy eh. By the way, it has a terno crib mobile din but we didn't put it up yet.

I wanted to do something special for my baby Chicklet so I set up a welcoming party. We haven't really bought toys yet (we prioritized to shop for the baby essentials first), yan pa lang ang meron kami. The brown bear is Pod's actually (regalo ko sa kanya noong 2012 birthday niya).

I printed a small simple welcome banner, too. Sorry Nathan, Mommy has no budget for a grander welcome home surprise. But I did my best to make your first day at home a bit special.

Ooops, this is Niknok -- Chicklet's buddy. I bought it at Ikea (I got so fixated with this soft doll the moment I saw it) and I wish my baby gets to enjoy it soon. Who says only girls can play with dolls?

Niknok - derived from sinok or huccups (because Chicklet is so sinukin)

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We finally were able to bring Nathan home last November 17 (Monday). It was a very joyful occasion. Imagine, tatlo na kami sa bahay! A baby truly lightens up any dull house!

Though modest and simple, my baby Nathan seemed to enjoy his new crib and new home.

Welcome home, anak! We are so glad you're here. Your dad and I promise to give you a good home and a happy family life. We love you so much!

Finally, My Hello Kitty Santa!

Last year, we saw this big Hello Kitty Santa at Walmart. I (of course) wanted to buy it but we were still living in Pod's tiny studio suite then and I had no choice but to content myself with "minimalist living."

Yesterday, while I was 'strolling' at Walmart Stony Plain and browsing through their still raw Christmas shelves, I saw this Hello Kitty Santa again. Just one piece, mind you.

I clearly remember last year' design and I knew it looks exactly the same. "Tira lang kaya ito last year?", I asked myself. I looked at the tag and it states 2014. So they just replicated last year's Christmas design? Parang hindi naman nag-uulit ng design ang Hello Kitty. I doubted din naman kung tira lang ito kasi sobrang in-demand ang Hello Kitty (meron din silang Valentine version na ganito kalaki) at siguradong nauubos.

Oh well, enough of my questions. The plushie looked clean naman so I grabbed and gave it to Ford para bayaran. That  might be my last chance na na makabili nito this year kasi malapit na akong ma-house arrest nang matagal.

Kitty and the Beast

POD -- O ano na naman yan?

BIM -- Hello Kitty Santa Claus haler! 

POD -- Eh aanhin mo naman yan, lalaki naman ang anak mo?

BIM -- Para sa akin yan noh. Pagbigyan mo na ako sus. After ko makapanganak eh hindi na nga ako makakapag-shopping eh. 

POD -- Hay naku, gastos naman!  

That's my husband, makasalita lang haha!

Anyway, the stuffed toy only costs $21 (+5% tax). Not bad for a huge and authentic Hello Kitty item!

I am so excited na picturan si Chicklet sa tabi ni Kitty. His mom is a die hard Hello Kitty fan so he better learn to live with it haha! 

Chicklet's first Christmas tree ornament

I found this Precious Moments' Baby's First Christmas tree ornament  the other day at Walmart. It only costs $4 (+5% tax) so I instantly grabbed it.

Every year, I'll get a tree decor that will commemorate my son's life. Oh, I am so excited!

I've always felt that Christmas is only for kids. This year, I am finally gonna have one -- exciting, eh! I will make sure that all the Christmases of Chicklet's childhood will be special and memorable. As a new family, we'll build lots of Christmas traditions together. We will all have fun, I promise!

Treats for Trick-or-Treat

I honestly don't think that trick-or-treaters will visit us this Friday. You see, our town house is located at the very entrance of our community (imagine a subdivision) facing the main road so I doubt it if children will be allowed to come here. The real trick-or-treat action will be held at the heart (middle) of the community, of course.

But my husband insisted that we still buy treats just in case.

We didn't buy much because we'd be stuck with lots of candies if no kid comes around. We just got two packs of sweets from Dollarama ($3 each haha!) and two boxes from Walmart. Walmart is definitely the place to buy candies from!

This is my first ever experience of Halloween here in Canada and I have no idea how many candies to give per child. I am definitely clueless. After this year, I'd probably learn lol! My husband (who's lived in North America since 2001) reminded me that candies have to be individually wrapped and that we should turn our lights on to 'invite' trick-or-treaters.

Everyone's praying for a good weather this Friday so that children can enjoy their costumes outdoors. I am excited to see them (but yeah, still very much skeptic that no one will come knocking at our door haha!).

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NOTE: My cervix is still closed as of yesterday so I definitely won't be giving birth yet this Halloween! Yebaaah! 

Snippets of Our 2014 Valentine

We are living a relatively boring life here in Edmonton (haha!) so I wanted to inject a bit of spice this Valentine season. I've always had a thing for knick knacks so please let me indulge.

I wasn't really able to hoard much Vday stuff this year because my in-laws are here (I'm still 'nangangapa' in having them around). I also started working last February 1 so I got busy.

But anyways, here are some snippets of our Valentine Day 2014:

Heart-shaped pillow. I asked hubby to buy this for me at Walmart. It's perfect for my white-with-pink-themed "Me" room.

Heart-printed socks. Aren't these the cutest? I got them from Dollarama. I think I have more, I just wasn't able to take pictures.

Kisses Chocolates. Nice pink packaging noh? I bought it on sale at Target.

Heart-printed bowl. I saw this last piece of bowl at Target and grabbed it. Perfect for my chocolates.

Chocolate Bouquets. These were last-minute purchase at Dollarama. I wanted to give something for my mother-in-law and sister-in law. How I wish I had the time and money to find something better haha!

A Welcome and Vday Note for Cecille. My sister-in-law arrived on the night of Vday while I was at work so I had to do something to welcome her.

My Feb. 14 socks. This is what I wore on hearts day itself.

Ford's gift for me. Wow! Thank you, Dear! I love it!

My gift for Ford. Again, I am a proletariat wife so please excuse my Dollarama-purchased huge greeting card and XOXO Hershey's chocolates for the husband. It's the thought that counts naman, ayt?

Next year, I'll try to do better.